Om ungefär en månad kan vi se Sean O’Malley kliva in mot Marlon Vera i vad han kallar sin tuffaste match hittills.
Sist vi kunde se Sean O’Malley i oktagonen var då han tog sin an veteranen Eddie Wineland. Mötet slutade med en knockout i den första ronden för O’Malley och härnäst ställs han mot Marlon Vera.
Tuffaste motståndaren hittills
Inför mötet med Vera berättar O’Malley för MMAJunkie att han ser Vera som sin tuffaste motståndare hittills i karriären. En tuffaste motståndare var precis vad O’Malley ville ha härnäst då han vill kunna visa upp vad han kan.
He’s a decent striker, black belt in jiu-jitsu – he’s definitely the toughest opponent to date, and that’s what I wanted. I think this fight against ‘Chito’ will really kind of get to show – you know, it’s hard to show your skills when you’re knocking dudes out in two minutes. It’s like, some people might see it as that was a lucky punch, or that was whatever, but I think ‘Chito’ might be able to absorb some extra punishment. So I’ll be able to show more of my skills and be more of a threat, and people will realize that. So I think some guys look at my skills and they’re like, ‘OK, yeah, he’s for real.’ Some don’t. So I think this next fight will get to show a lot.
Inte mött någon som O’Malley
Trots att han ser Vera som en tuffare motståndare med erfarenhet så tror inte O’Malley att Vera tidigare har mött någon som han själv.
It’s hard not to see me get a first-round knockout. That’s pretty much how my career has been. Even as an amateur, I was getting a lot of first-round knockouts. He’s never sparred someone like me. He’s never fought someone like me. And a lot of people say that, but a lot of people are basic. He’s pretty basic. He’s got basic striking and good jiu-jitsu. I’ve got excellent striking, and I feel I’ve got really good jiu-jitsu.
O’Malley tror att han kommer att träffa Vera med ett slag han inte anar och att det kommer att bli det som sänker Vera.
So I think he’s going to try and put me up against the fence, do his little trips that he likes, and get on top and look for a submission. I don’t think he’s going to be able to put me up against the fence, and I think he’s going to absorb a lot of shots trying to put me up against the fence, trying to take me down, and I’ll sneak that one in there. It’s the one you don’t see that gets you knocked out. Jose, that uppercut – that’s what did it on him. Eddie was that right hand. So I have a lot of secret weapons that you’re not going to see that’ll put your lights out.
Förutspår knockout i matchens första rond
Trots att O’Malley beskrivit Vera som en tuffare motståndare så förutspår han ändå en vinst via knockout i matchens första rond.
Probably first-round knockout, but like I said, Chito’s tough, so I’m planning on being in there for 15 minutes. I could see a second-round knockout or a third-round knockout. I do see myself putting his lights out. It’s kind of his choice how fast he wants to get knocked out and how much he pushes the fight.
O’Malley och Vera kommer att ställas mot varandra på UFC 252 som äger rum den 16:e augusti i Las Vegas, USA.
